Astrazeneca Share News (AZN)

(Sharecast News) - America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has told state governments to make preparations for the large-scale distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine.

In early August, the CDC told states to work under the assumption that a limited number of doses might be ready by fall.

Now, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg, the Department of Health and Human Services and CDC "are rapidly making preparations to implement large-scale distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in the fall of 2020."

If proven correct, distribution would commence two days before the presidential elections in the US, on 3 November.

For some observers, the announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Trump administration's record in handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also follows a lively debate regarding the need for any decision around deploying a vaccine widely to be based on orthodox scientific procedures.

Michael Fraser, the chief executive officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told Bloomberg that wide distribution of any vaccine would likely require an emergency-use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration.